Page 111 of That Girl is Trouble

“Or this, maybe?” I slide my hands to her ass and squeeze it too hard.

She tries to break free, but I don’t let her move.

“Stop it,” she pleads, tears cresting her lower lashes and running down her cheeks.

“Isn’t this what you’ve been begging me to do since the first night you slipped into my bed? Touch you?”

She swallows. “Not like this.”

I flip her around and push her against the counter, crushing my body hard against hers. “Then how, kitty?” I say, her name a threat on my lips. “How do you want me to fuck you?”

Her elbow lands hard between my ribs, and I grunt as I loosen my grip. She reels around to face me, and just as I go to grab her again, her palm slams hard against my cheek, the clap of it echoing across the room.

We both freeze. Her cheeks are tear stained, her chest heaving. Rage burns in her eyes, and for a second, I think she might hit me again.

And maybe I might let her.

Instead, she clears her throat and steps away, her eyes flashing with the one emotion I hoped I’d never make her feel. Fear.

“See what I mean?” I say, rubbing my hand over my stinging skin. “More trouble than you’re worth. And to me, you’re worth nothing. I’m done with you, Kat. With this. I’m just fucking done. Now get out.”

Her voice is quiet when she speaks. There’s a plea in her tone that makes my stomach clench. “Please, Axe. Just… just please. I know you want this.”

“You seem to be doing a lot of talking about what you think I want,” I say, voice hard. But my resolve is slipping. I feel it. My body pushing towards her, urging me to take her into my arms, to wipe the tears, to make it better. To protect her. But I am protecting her. This is protecting her. From this life. From me. “I won’t ask again. Leave. Next time I have to tell you, you won’t like the man I become.”

She falls silent. The quiet stretches between us, and it’s pure fucking torture. Her eyes swim with pain, a look of betrayal tugging the corners of her mouth down. But then her face hardens, her fists clench, and she scoffs out a laugh. It’s a cold kind of sound, laced with tears and anger. I hold my breath, waiting for her to argue, to run her mouth, to throw me some of that Danforth attitude that always leaves my palms tingling.

But without another word, she grabs her leather jacket from where it’s draped across my kitchen table and makes for the door.

Just as she grasps the handle, she halts and twists back to meet my eyes. “I walk out of here, and I won’t be coming back. Ever. You sure that’s what you want?”

“I told you what I want, Kitty, and it’s not you. It never has been. Glad you’re finally listening.”

She hums in response. “I know what you’re doing here, Axe. Trying to show me how big and bad you can be. But you’ve only shown me one thing tonight.”

I cock an eyebrow. “Yeah? And what’s that?”

“That you’re a fucking coward.”

The door slams hard when she leaves. And Kat wasn’t lying. I don’t see her again.

30

It’s dark in his room, but there’s a dim light pressing against my eyelids that tells me it’s morning.

Early morning.

I’m tangled in a mess of sheets, my body curled tight against his, head on his chest. My fingers are desperate to explore him. It's hard not to let them dance over his skin when I'm on him like this, completely naked and pressed against him. I want to dip my fingers into the grooves of his muscles. Trace the lines of ink stained deep into his skin.

I also want sleep.

Curling my fingers into a fist, I will them to stay put, but the second I do, Axe’s fingers are the ones exploring, skimming over my skin, eliciting goose bumps in their wake.

I sigh. “It’s early.”

“Yes.” His voice is low and raspy. Sleepy, like mine. His movements are lazy as he slides his hand down my arm and then up again, over my back, and down to my waist.

“Too early,” I whisper.

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